Seven short months after they last met in one of our sport/utility bash-offs, things have changed significantly for the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. For '96, the Explorer is available with a 5.0-liter V-8 crammed into its rugged snout, and the Grand Cherokee receives its first significant updates, with particular attention paid to its interior, where dual airbags now reside. The result is that the Explorer has become better at what the Grand Cherokee does well, and the Grand Cherokee has improved in the areas the Explorer was strongest. Ain't competition great?

Considering the way 90 percent of sport/utility vehicles are driven 90 percent of the time, the V-8 engine makes the Explorer a much better vehicle. Although the 5.0-liter engine initially may appear to be a Mustang refugee, it's actually a new assembly of familiar parts. Rated at 210 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, the block and camshaft come from the soon-to-be-outgoing F-150, while the GT40 intake manifold and cylinder heads are nearly identical to the '95 Mustang Cobra's. In fact, once the new F-Series trucks have reached full production, the Explorer will be the only U.S.-built Ford powered by a pushrod V-8. Behind the engine resides another emigrant from Ford's full-size truck line, the beefy wide-ratio 4R70W four-speed automatic transmission.Traversing the cityscape, the V-8's additional power doesn't recast the Explorer as some sort of maniacally overpowered Malibu Grand Prix car, but it does add a heaping helping of potency. It's most apparent merging onto freeways from uphill onramps, when the leisurely 4.0-liter/160-horsepower V-6 Explorer needs every available sliver of runway to reach traffic velocity. The V-8's 55-pound-foot torque advantage over the V-6 is well suited to the transmission's wide ratios and the aggressive 3.73:1 rearend gear ratio, so there's a firm, satisfying sensation of thrust, even when the 4148-pound truck is burdened with nearly another ton of humans and their freight.

Frustratingly, the extra power does the Explorer no good in tough off-road situations. The simple reason for this is that, at least initially, four-wheel drive isn't available with the bigger engine (the V-8 is also currently restricted to midlevel XLT trim). For most Explorer owners, off-roading is usually accidental rather than expeditionary, and two-wheel drive is adequate to push them through those dilemmas. Still, where the extra power of the V-8 would come in handiest-blasting out of a bog, or ascending Widowmaker Hill-the drivetrain isn't there to support it.While the Explorer V-8 can be viewed as a response to the Grand Cherokee V-8, Ford is chasing a moving target. Last year Jeep revised the 5.2-liter/220-horsepower V-8's camshaft to boost peak torque production 15 pound-feet to a robust 300. That's 20 pound-feet greater than the Explorer's V-8, and it occurs at only 3200 rpm, 300 rpm earlier than the Ford's peak. For '96, Jeep also has wed the engine to a new wide-ratio, four-speed automatic transmission that's better suited to this vehicle's life mission than were the previous editions. In addition, despite carrying Jeep's Quadra-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive system (which is required with the V-8), the unibody Grand Cherokee weighs about 200 pounds less than the body-on-frame Explorer.

The result is that the Grand Cherokee is just slightly quicker than the Explorer. The Jeep scooted to 60 in only 8.2 seconds (the Ford did the deed in 8.8 seconds) and completed the quarter mile in 16.3 seconds, with an 82.6-mph terminal velocity (contrasted with the Ford's 16.9 at 82.0 mph performance). But these times don't fully reflect the sensation; the Jeep simply feels much quicker than the Ford.The Jeep's uplevel engine is the same Magnum V-8 used by Dodge in its pickups and full-size vans and is based on Chrysler's classic small V-8 architecture, which dates back to the late '50s. The Explorer's V-8 shares its basic design with the small-block V-8 Ford introduced for the '62 model year. While both engines are entirely successful in their current applications, neither is as smooth as the fresh SOHC 4.6-liter (and 5.4-liter) V-8s in the '97 Ford F-150 pickup.The primary reason behind the Grand Cherokee's interior update was fitting an airbag ahead of the front-seat passenger. One of the Grand Cherokee's claims to fame upon its '92 introduction was its pioneering use of a driver-side airbag in this class; losing airbag thunder to the dual units in the Explorer and other classmates simply was unacceptable.Jeep took advantage of the opportunity to soften the dashboard's lines, mount a center-horn-pad steering wheel, upgrade the seats with power adjustments, mount adjustable shoulder-belt anchors, and improve the ventilation controls and capacity. Combine these changes with the luxurious ambiance that already distinguished the Grand Cherokee's innards, and the result is an extremely comfortable driving environment. The freshened interior isn't a radical change, but it's more contemporary than the square-cut previous design.The Jeep's comforting front-seat intimacy has its price, however. The 40.8 cubic feet of cargo room behind the Cherokee's rear seat is just 1.8 cubic feet smaller than that in the Explorer, but it comes at the expense of the rear-seat passenger's legroom. The rear seat of the 5.5-inch-longer-wheelbase Explorer seems vast in contrast, because it is vast in contrast. Still, the Grand Cherokee has trumped Ford by offering the first optional integrated child seat on a sport/utility. It's a convenience Chrysler already offers on its minivans and sedans, and one that likely will spread rapidly to other manufacturers' sport/utility vehicles.Ford accentuates the Explorer's roominess with what seems like acres of glass, and the upright seats emphasize the tall roof. Where the Grand Cherokee boasts luxury and style, the Explorer is all about utility. Where there's room for flotsam in the Explorer, Ford has installed a flotsam container. Where kids are likely to abuse an interior bit, Ford has reinforced the spot. Beyond that are such thoughtful touches as a rear window that raises independent of the liftgate, and a power door-lock control switch conveniently positioned in the cargo bay.Fitting the V-8 engine, which sits lower and farther back in the Explorer than the V-6 does, required reshaping the floorpan sheetmetal around the transmission to accommodate the larger torque converter housing. This subtle alteration is nearly invisible to occupants, indicating the lengths to which Ford went to position the larger powerplant unobtrusively.Ford's new-in-'95 short- and long-arm front suspension dramatically improves the 4x4 Explorer's road manners and does the same for the 4x2 as well. Although the V-8 adds about 170 pounds of extra weight to the front end, the Ford's rack-and-pinion steering is nicely weighted. Through our slalom, the Explorer exhibited exemplary at-the-limit handling characteristics, marginally bettering the Jeep. The V-8's power won't overwhelm the Explorer's natural understeer, no matter how mindlessly or inappropriately the accelerator is mashed; it's a sport/utility whose tall stance belies its imperturbable stability.Yet the Jeep rides better. The Grand Cherokee has a seemingly archaic solid front axle, but it's securely positioned by four locating links that keep both wheels square to the pavement under any conditions short of an artillery hit, and it rides on long-travel coil springs that soak up road irregularities like a giant bump sponge. The rear suspension design mimics the front and offers ride characteristics clearly superior to those of the Explorer's leaf springs. Over freeway expansion joints, the Ford's rear end produces lingering secondary vibrations, while the Jeep confidently retains its composure.The Grand Cherokee's on-road handling limits aren't quite as high as the Explorer's, and its recirculating-ball steering isn't quite as communicative, but in everyday use it's a more pleasant ride. Both vehicles benefit from four-wheel disc brakes with ABS; they stop straight, true, and in relatively short distances (150 feet for the Explorer, and 134 feet for the Grand Cherokee).The strengths of both vehicles are reflected in their external appearances. Two-wheel-drive Explorers such as the XLT V-8 are nearly indistinguishable from their 4x4 brothers, wearing the same oversize 235/70R15SL all-terrain tires and 15x7.0-inch alloy wheels. As a result, the Explorer looks purposeful, competent, and able to swallow any challenge. It looks even more purposeful with the "V-8" badges on its front fenders. The Grand Cherokee receives a new grille, new body cladding, and new nameplates for '96, but retains its same, square-cut wedge shape-a silhouette whose sharp creases contrast with the soft aero-look that dominates current SUV design.Understandably, the two-wheel-drive V-8 Explorer holds a modest price advantage over the four-wheel-drive V-8 Grand Cherokee. (Both vehicle price ranges hover between $23,000 and $32,000.) However, the gap will lessen as the Explorer's $760 V-8 option spreads to Eddie Bauer, Limited, and 4x4 models in the line.The V-8 makes the high-on-utility Explorer sportier, while the detail changes increase the already sporty Grand Cherokee's utility. Right now, the Grand Cherokee's mix of V-8 power, ride comfort, luxurious ambiance, and 4x4 ability makes it the more compelling choice. But when the Explorer V-8's new athleticism, thoughtful touches, and exemplary practicality are eventually mated to four-wheel drive, that verdict may change.

The intimacy of the compact Jeep interior is more like that of a personal luxury car than a sport/utility. Supremely comfortable for two, the Grand Cherokee lacks the spaciousness to accommodate five comfortably for very long.With nearly six inches more wheelbase length and over 11 inches more overall length, the Explorer enjoys a significant interior-volume advantage over the Grand Cherokee. Ford further exploits this edge with more useful gadgets.The adoption of a control-arm front suspension last year produced enough room for Ford to shoehorn in its classic 5.0-liter V-8 for '96. A special fan saves space between the radiator and engine, while the tubular exhaust headers sweep up and then down for clearance.Jeep's flagship shares its 5.2-liter Magnum V-8 with Dodge trucks and enjoys a 10-horsepower advantage over the Explorer's 5.0-liter engine. The Jeep's barrel-type intake manifold has equal-length runners delivering fuel into each intake port.